


Descent

by chaoticlogic



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Drama, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:27:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22321801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaoticlogic/pseuds/chaoticlogic
Summary: Leon only thought he was the strongest in Galar...Only because he never battled you...
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Reader
Comments: 11
Kudos: 153





	1. Down the Rabbit Hole

You can hardly believe your eyes the first time you see him at the arena. Surely this is some kind of mistake. The Unbeatable… well formerly unbeatable… now dethroned Champion Leon. 

The first few times he came he just watched and you just watched him. Your curiosity getting the better of you, besides if rumor has it, he’s looking for you. 

Tonight as he steps into the ring there is a tension in the stagnant air. The old warehouse that is playing arena this month rife with the smell of sulfur and dust. The abandoned warehouse is old and in disrepair, but not old enough to become home to Pokemon or not be able to handle the battles. After all, these weren’t League battles, these were something else entirely. A high chain link fence goes up almost to the rafters of the old building. Spotlights shine down with a yellow light and makeshift stands were brought in. The betting pool is where the real fun is though. Everyone is betting against him, this isn’t his usual crowd. 

These are rejects of the League, the dropouts and unsponsored. They hold no love for the champion of a sport that rejected them. However, they still love the thrill of battle, that’s what draws them here. 

Leon only thought he was the strongest trainer in all of Galar. 

He has never battled here. 

He has never battled you.

“What does our former Champion want?” taunts the Five of Clubs.

He’s new meat, just beginning to make his way up the battle ranks. He’s progressed fast and he shows promise. That cocky attitude of his is to be desired though. 

“I want to battle the strongest trainer here.”

“The Queen doesn’t take challengers that haven’t proven themselves worthy.”

“I’m the Champion!”

“Former Champion.”

Leon grits his teeth and lowers his head to hide his face under his hat. 

“Still! Isn’t that proof enough? I was the Unbeatable-”

“We know! We know! The Unbeatable Champion!” interjects the Knight of Hearts. Her shrill voice cutting through the air like a siren. 

“To answer your question, no it’s not enough. This isn’t your precious League. That would be like one of us walking out onto your pitch and demanding a battle from you. You haven’t earned the right to battle The Queen yet.”

“What do I have to do to battle her?”

“Move up the ranks, this isn’t playtime and you aren’t the king anymore.”

There is a chorus of cackles that go up from the crowd and Leon accepts the challenge with false confidence. He’s three battles in when he falls. 

You watch emotionlessly as the Three of Diamonds’ Machoke slams his Charizard to the ground and Leon panics when he doesn’t get up. 

“Charizard! Buddy?!” He rushes towards him and cradles the fire lizard’s massive head in his hands. You’ve never seen such a sight in your life. 

“Deal with your teammate Diamond,” you mutter as you glance over to the young woman to your left. 

“What?” she asks with faux innocence, “He knew what he was getting into!”

“You know they went harder on him than was appropriate. If something happened to his Charizard I’m going to have to deal with it. Don’t make me do that.”

“You got it Majesty!” She says in a mocking tone. 

You roll your eyes at her as you leave your place on the upper level. Heading down the stairs you can still hear Leon’s panic over his friend. The crowd parts for you, but he doesn’t even notice your presence until you are right next to him.

“He’s going to be okay. Let’s get you two out of here.”

He whipped his head around to face you with fire in his eyes, “Don’t touch him.”

His voice is cold and hard. You put your hands up in a surrender position and stand up before backing away. 

“You need to get him to a center. The angle that he hit the ground could have seriously harmed him and the faster you get him treatment the better.”

“You don’t think I know that?! I know how to take care of my team!”

“Then perhaps you should stop panicking and get moving.”

You feel his glare more than you see it as he returns his partner and rushes from the arena. You can hear the jeering crowd as he rushes out the door. 

“It’s weird not seeing him in that stupid cape…” One of the cards says.”

You pay him no mind as you return to your place to watch the rest of the battles. 

A week goes by before you see him again. He’s standing in the crowd watching the battles take place before he challenges one of the contenders. 

“Look, we humored you the first time, but this is serious shit okay? I got rent to pay and I can’t do it if you don’t let me do my thing.”

“What you don’t think you can win against me?” Leon challenges. 

“Listen Ace, you need a team to endorse you. One of the Kings or Queens have to let you on their team, once that happens you battle up the ranks. Once you’re a rank that is of any kind of importance then you can challenge royalty. Until then…. you’re a Joker. Jokers gotta prove themselves worthy of challenging those on a team by an elimination tournament. Only the top four competitors get the chance to be chosen for a team and that’s only if one of the royals likes you enough to pick you. No guarantees.”

“What makes this any different than the sponsors then? You’re still excluding people.” 

“Anybody can join the Tournament of Fools, only the strongest get chosen for a team. The Kings and Queens have standards and you have to meet them. That’s the rules.”

Leon has a fire in his eyes you’ve never seen before, so you aren’t surprised when he asks. 

“When’s the next Tournament of Fools?”

“Two weeks.”

“I’ll be there.”

With a roll of your eyes, you watch as the former champion leaves the arena. There is only one person you know that may have the answer to what’s going on. 

Spikemuth feels like home as you walk through the neon-lit streets. When you get to the arena and you see Piers up on stage you lean back against the wall to watch the set. It’s a few songs before he notices you, but when he does he puts a halt to the practice. 

“What have I done to warrant a visit from her Majesty?” he asks in an almost mocking tone. You know better though, you can hear the underlying nerves from a life he’s left behind. 

“Absolutely nothing, I figured you may be able to help me through… It seems a former champion intends to join the Tournament of Fools in a couple of weeks.”

“Leon? In the Underground?”

“Yes, and I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“They’ll eat him alive…”

“They already have and he’s coming back for more.”

Piers looks away from you, “I’ll go talk to him…”

“That’s a good idea.”

“If I can’t convince him though…”

“You know there is nothing that I can do Piers.”

“So you won’t even try?”

“I can’t just scoop the former champion up in order to protect him… You of all people should know this. I got you out Piers, now I need you to keep him from coming back.”

You don’t see Leon over the next two weeks, and you believe that Piers got through to him. It’s not until the night of the tournament that he returns. You notice among the crowd Piers and Raihan obviously trying to keep their friend from making a big mistake, but he doesn’t seem to be listening. 

The crowd is rife with anticipation and as Leon walks up to the sign-in sheet you can hear the whispers go up among them. They can’t wait to watch him fail. 

“You have all heard of the Four Royals of the Underground, but now it’s time to see them with your own eyes! We have the King of Hearts, and his specialty is Fairy Types! Don’t let their innocence fool you! You will fall in love just for him to break your heart!” A tall man with dark hair swept back neatly stands up. He’s wearing a black suit with a red shirt underneath. The mask covering his eyes is white, he winks flirtatiously at the audience. 

“Next, we have the Queen of Diamonds! Her exterior isn’t the only thing icy about her! Her team will freeze you in place and shatter your chances of victory.” Diamond stands up with her icy blonde hair down in loose curls. Her white dress is long and form-fitting shimmering in the light. The smirk on her face is haughty as she regards the crowd. 

“We can’t forget our King of Clubs! This master of street brawls will put any and all dojos to shame! One right hook is all it takes for his killer team to take the win!” Clubs stands up and cracks his knuckles while he regards the audience with a sneer. He’s wearing a pair of ripped jeans with a black shirt and black leather jacket. 

“And finally, last but certainly not least, the Queen of Spades! She may let you pick your poison, but that doesn’t mean you can take it!” You stand up in your black pants, combat boots and long black coat cascading down behind you. You regard the crowd cooly as you give a smirk and a wave. 

“Alright contestants! It’s not only your job to win, but you have to impress royalty as well! Better bring your A-game. Only four of you have a chance at getting chosen tonight. Let’s go!”

The battles begin with four on four battle royals. You aren’t surprised when among the amateurs Leon shines. He wasn’t the Unbeatable Champion for the last few years for nothing, and despite his previous losses, he isn’t weak.

“Leon’s doing pretty good… I may just recruit him so I can break him a little bit…” Clubs chuckles as he glances over at Diamond. She snickers before she turns back to the battle. There is no love for Leon here. He represents everything that most of the trainers in the Underground hate. He succeeded where they couldn’t and now he’s infringing upon their territory. 

When the battles are over Leon stands victorious over all of the competitors. You had hoped he would be ignored regardless of how good he is and be turned away, but you know that’s not the case. You know what you have to do even if you hate it. 

“Our reigning champion will be choosing for her team first. Your Majesty.”

You watch as Leon’s eyes zero in on you as you stand up and regard each of the trainers. You know you’re who he has been searching for. 

“Leon,” you announce in an almost bored tone. 

The crowd is silent as Leon makes his way to your team. You can feel the eyes of your rivals and they are rife with hostility. 

“Someone is going soft…” mutters Diamond. 

“I literally destroyed you last week… you sure?” you ask as you turn towards her with an arrogant smirk. 

She huffs and looks away.

You regard Leon as he walks by you to sit in the only vacant seat on your team. 

“You know Spades… If you didn’t already have a target on your back, you do now. Sticking your neck out for the former champion… bleeding heart ain’t ya?” Clubs drawls from his seat. 

“If I couldn’t handle a target on my back I wouldn’t be the High Queen, would I? Do your worst Clubs… it still won’t be good enough.” you murmur almost innocently. 

“Now… now… this is supposed to be a fun event! You’re all so serious!” Hearts interjects with a pointed look at Clubs. 

He just sneers at the two of you before he turns to evaluate the rest of the candidates. The other royalty chooses their teammates quickly and the teams welcome their new Aces to their teams. Once the formalities are over everybody heads out to go to a party in the warehouse. Before Leon can leave you whip your head around to face him, “You’re coming with me… we need to talk.”

You lead him into your makeshift office before you round on him, “I hope you know precisely what you’ve gotten yourself and me into.”

“Look! I just want a chance to prove-”

“What? That you’re the best? The most powerful? News flash. You’ve never been the best or the most powerful, there is always someone better and more powerful. Victory is fleeting and now you’re a target. They want to destroy you.”

“It’s nothing I can’t handle!” he says clearly offended. 

“Like you handled it the other night?” he looks away from you. 

“Look… I feel for you,” you continue, “but you have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into.”

“It’s just a battle league!”

“It’s way more than that…”

Before you can explain Piers and Raihan burst into the room and you roll your eyes at the pair.

“(Name)! You chose him!”

You glare over at Piers, “You didn’t do your job…”

“I tried… it’s not my fault he didn’t listen…” he says with slight annoyance. 

“Wait. How do you two know each other?”

“We used to battle together, we went up the ranks together.”

“Piers… you were in the Underground League?”

“Yeah… I had to make money somehow and this was the best way. When Marnie got older I got out, but it wasn’t easy. If it wasn’t for (Name) here I would still be in the League.”

“Doing what?”

“Whatever I needed to do.”

“Getting out of the League isn’t always easy. Sometimes you just have to retire otherwise, you have to be released.”

“What do they do if you aren’t released?”

“They pretty much destroy your life.”

“Destroy your life?”

“Look it’s all fun and games for the most part, but there is a market for illegal Pokémon here. That’s where the Underground comes in.”

“You steal Pokémon!?”

“No! We aren’t Team Rocket! We catch them, some of the more esteemed are breeders. No body’s abusing Pokémon here, but if you want a Pokémon that isn’t exactly supposed to be here, we have our ways. For this reason, it’s exclusive. I don’t even know how you found out about us let alone found us.”

“Some guy just told me about you all.”

“What guy?”

“I don’t know his name… maybe if I saw him I would recognize him?”

“That’s not good… It sounds like a trap…”

“Why would that be a trap?”

“Because this is an underground league with illegal side work and you’re a celebrity. What makes you think this isn’t a trap?” you in annoyance. 

“I didn’t know you smuggled illegal pokemon!”

“That’s because you aren’t even supposed to know we exist!” you snap. 

“Well what do we do now?” asks Leon. 

“I don’t know… but you have to get stronger, they are going to be coming for you.”

He frowns at you but nods, determination in his eyes, “What do I need to do?”

“We’re going to the training ground tomorrow.”

“Where’s that?”

“Oh, you’ll see…”


	2. No Use Going Back to Yesterday...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon realizes just what he's been missing all this time and decides to live a little. You realize how sheltered the ex-champ is and decide he needs some fun in his life. He may or may not like it.

The sound of boots echo off the cement floor as you walk into the empty space. Leon follows close behind as he regards the large warehouse with intrigue and confusion. 

“This is where we are training?” he asks as he looks around. 

“The others will be here soon, you will refer to them as Knight and Ten.”

“Knight and Ten?”

“Yep those are code names, it’s how we protect our identity.”

“So what do you call me?”

“Ace,” you call over your shoulder as you move farther into the warehouse, “At the Battleground, you are the Ace of Spades. My Ace of Spades. Your current goal is to not be an Ace anymore.” 

“So it’s just our position?” he asks as he readjusts his cap on his head. 

“Pretty much…”

“Why?” 

“It keeps it simple plus it establishes rank. You are an Ace, a one,” you regard the man in front of you. Vaguely you wonder about his need to be number one. Why the number means so much to him. 

“What would you do if you weren’t doing this?” he asks as he follows you into the depths of the building still looking around with unrestrained awe. 

“Never thought about it.”

“I don’t believe you,” he shoots back with a frown. 

You turn and gaze steadily into his eyes, “This isn’t about me,” you say holding his gaze, “This is about you and your obsessive need to be the strongest. Perhaps it’s therapy that you need.”

He looks affronted by your words as if no one as ever dared to speak to him like that and honestly they probably haven’t. When you’re on top everyone wants you to like them. They want to be your best friend so they can ride your coattails to the top. They want all the glory with none of the work. The Underground is all work. And you won’t mince words for anyone especially an entitled ex-champion. 

“Be ready Ace, this is about to be one of the hardest days of your life,” you say with a smirk as you turn to begin setting up the makeshift arena. 

The duo arrives about twenty minutes later. Knight is a young man in his mid-twenties with jet black hair and steely grey eyes, as well as handsome and reliable and that crush you have on him is dangerous. He has a stoic and quiet demeanor much like the steel types that he favors. And did you mention that he’s your right hand and your most loyal teammate? You’ve been itching to put him in charge of one of the teams to be your ally, but you’ve been reluctant to let him go. You like him where he is and he likes where he is and as long as everyone is happy what does it matter? However, now there is danger and Clubs and Diamond have gotten more aggressive with you and you know the time has come. 

In comparison, Ten is young and pretty much a prodigy with battling. She comes from the rougher part of the city and couldn’t afford to take the challenge. She’s just shy of seventeen and is a pervertible ray of sunshine. Her choice to train electric types is no surprise of yours. She has a Toxtricity of her own that almost rivals your own and you couldn’t be prouder. She will be a great Queen. 

“We’re overthrowing Clubs and Diamond so that I can make you the new King and Queen,” you say as you start the meeting.

Both of them just blink at you in confusion.

“Wait… What??” questions Ten disbelief in her voice as she regards you like actual royalty. 

Knight gazes off into the distance before he just nods, “I figured you to do as much. They have gotten dangerous lately and with the former champion on our team, we will be even more of a target.”

You nod your affirmation to your right hand, “I need you two to pick your successor. They need to be trustworthy and ready to fill your position not just in strength but in reliability.”

Knight nods as he regards you with his steely eyes, “I know who I would like as my successor.”

“Already?” you ask with a tilt of your head. You know he’s been considering this of course, and you know it will be Seven. He’s been paying attention to the young man, guiding him along the path. He has yet to choose a typing to specialize in, but you have a feeling it will be steel. Knight is highly revered among your team.

“Seven, he is capable and loyal.”

“To you.”

He looks up at you in surprise, “Groom him, you will need a good Knight after you have established your rule, in the meantime, Nine will be better suited to take your position.”

Nine is almost as large as Clubs and almost just as boisterous. He’s a lot more steady though lacking Clubs quick temper and conniving ways. He deals in Ground-types and is a powerhouse in his own right. You know he would already be your number 10 if he didn’t have a soft spot for Ten. He sees her as a younger sister and has come to her aid many times over. 

“What about you Ten? Any thoughts on who will take over your position?”

She puts her hand up to her chin and sways from side to side as she thinks, “Five!”

“Five?” you ask in surprise, “That’s a low rank… How do you think you will get her where she needs to be?”

She shrugs nonchalantly, “She trains Psychic types, you know she will be fine.”

“That doesn’t answer my question…” you trail off as you regard her and she just shrugs with an easy smile.

“Fine fine… start training her and you’re already close with Diamond’s Ten, he will make a good Knight for you.”

She blushes and avoids your gaze as you send her a knowing look. 

“Should I tell him?” she asks hesitantly.

“No, this doesn’t leave the five of us and those you trust to take your place, and even then I don’t want them knowing just yet.”

They nod as you signal the meeting is over, “Time to train!”

The four of you start a rigorous training regime. You aren’t surprised when Five, Nine, and Seven show up, in that order. They all jump right in and you can’t help but be proud of your team. Once everyone has finished their exercises you pull Leon to the center of the ring. 

“Stamina,” you announce as you all circle him. 

“Stamina?” he asks looking back at you bewildered. 

“You lack stamina. Ranks are based on how far you can get in the competition. Rank is established here with your teammates. We have two months until our next Ranking tournament. Your rank is where you fall in the team. Unfortunately, for you, after you won the cup and became champion you were automatically considered a finalist, so you’ve forgotten what it’s like to claw your way to the top. To victory. You’ve stood at the top of the mountain for too long so now you and your Pokemon have simply needed power, but power is nothing without stamina. That is why your Charizard fell so quickly. That is why you fell in battle after only three competitors despite your power. Those who are ranked higher have honed their ability to last longer in battle. We shall start there.”

He blinks at you in astonishment. You know he’s never had to face that many competitors in a row before. He’s so used to the same thing over and over again he’s compliant. 

“That’s why?”

“Yes.”

He nods as he looks down a sense of determination radiating from him before he raises his head and regards his team. 

“These are your competitors, but also your teammates. You compete among them for rank, but in battle royals, they are your greatest allies. Three months until a battle royal will take place and four for the Tournament. The Tournament is the only time a King or Queen can be overthrown. It is a winner take all battle and everyone has to bring their very best. Now show us what you’ve got.”

Leon falls after the second battle and you can feel the frustration radiating off of him. 

“Tomorrow we are going on a field trip…” you mutter as you turn away from Leon, “That’s all for today, team! Excellent job! Seven and Nine will report to Knight for a personalized battle plan and Five will report to Ten.”

Everyone nods and you can see the disappointment on Leon’s face. 

“Come on Ace… We’re going to get a drink…” 

“I really shouldn’t…” he hesitates.

“Shouldn’t what? Have a drink? How tight of a leash did Rose have you on?” you throw over your shoulder as you head outside.

He winces at your question, “Uhh…”

Your voice softens as you realize just what kind of life he’s led, “Hey… Come on… One drink won’t hurt… I promise I won’t tell anyone that the great Leon had a beer.” You wink when you catch his gaze. He sends you a small smile and a nod. You can tell he’s still hesitant and he probably doesn’t trust you as far as he can throw you, but he follows along behind you anyway. 

“So…” he begins as you head down the road to the car hidden in the bushes. Leon practically chokes when he sees what you drive.

“How?” 

You glance innocently back at him, “What?” you ask before a Cheshire smile breaks out onto your face, “You don’t like it?”

The black Liepard A-Type gleams back at him as he gazes in awe at the car.

“How do you afford this?!”

You tilt your head at him as you send a secret smile and bring your finger to your lips before you get into the driver’s side. He slides in and starts inspecting the interior with the reverence of someone in a holy place. 

“I don’t understand why you are excited, can’t you afford one of these?” you ask as you rev the engine, and Leon practically purrs back at it. 

“Rose wouldn’t let me get one… He said that-”

“Who gives a shit what Rose thinks? He tried to destroy the world with his disillusioned idea and his obsession, not with clean energy but with infamy. He doesn’t own you anymore. Buy the damn car,” you bite. 

Leon just blinks back at you in awe and you wonder just how much of his life and of himself has been nothing but a construct. A carefully curated persona for the public. A lifetime of ‘no’s’. No wonder he has no idea who he is outside of being champion, he’s spent the last decade being told what to do by everyone around him. His entire adult life has been meticulously maintained to project a certain image. The perfect image. The Unbeatable Champion. But what happens when the very core of your identity is being the unbeatable champion and then you are beaten? No one prepared him for the aftermath of loss.

“I will…” he says it softly as if he doesn’t even believe it himself.

“Good,” you say with satisfaction, “I’ll go with you. We can pick it out together.”

“Really?” he asks gazing at you like he doesn’t believe you.

“Of course! Invite your friends, I bet that dragon guy would love to help too.” 

He looks out the window regarding the scenery as you fly down the road back towards the city. 

“Yeah… I bet he would… He’s really busy with League business right now though. The new-” His gaze is unfocused as he thinks about his old life.

“Stop.”

He looks shocked when he glances over at you, but remains quiet. 

“You aren’t part of that world anymore. You don’t live by that schedule. You have two months to gain rank and I have a couple more Aces to find. We’ve got some recruiting to do.”

“Recruiting?”

“What? You don’t think I just pick trainers out of the ether, do you? Let Lady Luck do her thing? Hell no. This is a war and you need the proper army.”

“I still fail to see how this is any different from the League that you all hate so much,” he grumbles as he regards you with his own kind of derision. He still looks like he would give you a hug at any moment so it’s lost on you.

“This is a way of life. A very beautifully choreographed dance if you will. Chance isn’t something that will favor you often. Loyalty. Reliability. Power. Cunning. That’s how you survive. That’s what you seek out. I didn’t become High Queen by trusting the first man to flirt with me, or the first woman to compliment my shoes. You shouldn’t either.”

He looks away, “I’m beginning to see what I’ve gotten myself into.”

“Just now?” you ask sarcastically, “Major himbo energy there big boy…”

He looks flabbergasted, not for the first time today, “Himbo? What? I’m not a himbo! And don’t call me big boy…”

You send him another sly smile, “You don’t like it when I call you Big Boy? What about studmuffin? Better?” 

He blushes and looks away, “Absolutely not!”

“Arceus I’m going to have so much fun with you…” 

He sends you a glare, “Is this a game to you?”

“You need to lighten up Big Boy! When was the last time you had fun?”

He looks up at the ceiling clearly deep in thought and your eyes widen, “Oh… dear… you know what? Don’t answer that… I don’t think I want to know if you have to think that hard about it.”

He looks affronted and turns back to you, “It’s not been that long!”

“If you have to do math then it’s been too long.”

He deflates a little bit at your reply and just nods in agreement, “You’re right… I can’t even remember the last time I was able to go out for a drink or go on a date.”

“Yeah… we are so not jumping down that rabbit hole tonight…”

He looks away and you notice the blush on his cheeks out of the corner of your eye as he does so. You giggle as you reach over and ruffle his hair making him whip back around to face you looking annoyed until he sees your face. 

“Live a little…” you say softly catching his eye before turning back to the road.

He gives a determined nod as you pull up in front of the bar, far from the beaten path where no one will care if ex-champion Leon walks in. Or maybe they will, but he’s with you and no one questions what you do in your own bar. 

“Come on Big Boy… Drinks on me…” you say as you stop in front him and grasp his shirt before pulling him down until he’s eye level with you. He chokes at the tug and the close proximity of your faces, clearly uncomfortable. He blinks at you in shock before you just send him an innocent smile and pat his cheek softly before you let go and lead the way into the bar. 

The man follows you like a lost puppy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this was a little bit of a filler and way too informative but I liked the interaction between Leon and Reader. I hope you did too! I hope it sets a little more of their relationship up. Please tell me your thoughts and drop some love! You can buy my affection with Kudo and Comments!


	3. Off with Her Head

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Training reveals more than you thought it would and an innocent trip to Kalos is more than you bargained for. Oh well at Leon seems to be trusting you a little bit?

The smirk on your lips is almost sinister as you regard the groaning Leon across from you. You delicately sip your coffee while Leon lays face down on the kitchen table. Who would have thought that the Unbeatable Champion Leon is a lightweight? It had only taken a shot and a couple of beers for Leon to be tipsy and yet the moment that Miles bought the whole bar another round ‘in honor of his new friend Leon’ you knew this would be it. That final shot had knocked the former champion out. You had struggled to get him back to your car since he was practically dead weight at that point. Also, very affectionate… Apparently, Leon is a very affectionate drunk and had it been anyone other than Leon latching onto you for hugs and cuddles you would have thought there was a hidden agenda. But honestly, you just believed that Leon enjoyed affection and you weren’t that mad at how his solid body had felt pressed against you last night. You won’t tell him that though. 

His hair is mussed up from the number of times he’s run his fingers through it. Another groan escapes his lips as you push the pain killers and water closer to him, the sound of the glass on the table apparently too much for him to bear. 

“You have a surprisingly low tolerance for someone of your height and build.”

You hear him grumble something incoherent under his breath in annoyance, but you pay him no mind. 

“You need to deal with yourself Ace, we have training to do!” You sing the last part loudly, mostly just to snicker at the groan of pain and the light thud of his head hitting the table again. You laugh outright when the thud is followed by curses. 

“Language, Mr. Former Champ! You wouldn’t want your fan club to hear such profanities come from such a pretty mouth.”

You glance over your shoulder to see the scowl on his lips and his glare. You send him a sly smile in answer before you head out of the room, “Be in the car in twenty minutes!” you call over your shoulder as you do. 

You hear a sigh from the kitchen and repress your giggle as you head to your room to get ready. Having not known where Leon lives, you had just simply brought him home with you and laid him out in your guest bedroom. You would be annoyed at the late start if not for the glee you got from Leon’s hangover. 

At half-past noon with a greasy breakfast sandwich in Leon’s hand and a warning that he will promptly be kicked out of your car if he throws up, you head down the road. Leon is wearing a pair of dark shades to protect his eyes from the bright light and despite your amusement at the situation and desire to torment him more with loud music, you need him to be able to focus, so the car ride to the training ground is mostly silent. Once there Leon seems to be feeling better now that he has eaten and taken some medication. You hand him a bag filled with supplies and a large water bottle. 

“Where are we going?” he asks, clearly not trusting you after the events of the night before. 

“There’s a mountain over there that we will be climbing.” Glancing over at the peak in the distance he groans as he regards it. 

“I’m not sure I’m up for this today…”

“Well I’m very sorry his highness got shit faced last night, but you should have stopped if you didn’t know your limit.”

Leon looks affronted before conceding that you are right. He hangs his head down in defeat before he takes the bag you gave him and puts it on his back. His team is strapped to his belt and once he seems ready you head off down the path towards the mountain.

“Do you have any other Pokemon other than the team you showed in the championships?” The question is innocent in and of itself but he seems suspicious. 

“A few others why?”

“You need some variety in your team. One of the reasons you are at a disadvantage is that everyone already knows your team. You should have a few that you rotate out so there is a surprise every once in a while.”

“What about your team?” he asks suddenly. 

“What about my team?” you ask glancing over your shoulder at him. 

“What Pokemon do you have?” he asks curiously. 

As if waiting for his moment to shine, your Gengar, Akuma, breaks free from his Pokeball and grins deviously at Leon. 

Leon grins as he regards your oldest friend, “Your partner is a Gengar?” he asks happily. 

You smirk as you gaze down at him fondly, “It is, Akuma has been with me for a long time. Isn’t that right Aku?” you ask him in a sweet voice. Akuma giggles but leans happily against you, demanding affection. Resting your hand on the top of his head he happily reaches up and takes your hand. 

The two of you happily make your way down the trail and once you get to an open field you release the rest of your team. Leon’s eyes widen at them and their obvious adoration for you. A Salazzle with a healthy glow to her scales slides up to him first in curiosity, cocking her head from one side to the other. Next, a Toxtricity comes lumbering up behind the Salazzle with a confident smirk on his face followed closely by a curious Nidoqueen. The rest of your team is sticking close to your side and consists of a Toxapex and Dragalge. The Toxapex clearly wants nothing to do with him and the Dragalge looks like it wants to attack him, but doesn’t by wrapping itself around its trainer as a sign of protection. 

Leon looks only mildly uncomfortable as he regards the Pokemon around him, “Don’t worry… they all really are quite dangerous, but very well trained.”

He sends you an unamused look as he watches the group of poison type Pokemon inspect him. When they are happy that he is of no threat to their beloved trainer they leave him alone and meander back to your side. 

“Why don’t you release your team as well? They need the exercise, this is for them after all,” you encourage as you tilt your head with a smirk. 

He nods, suddenly looking very serious before unleashing his team, first Charizard followed by Aegislash, Dragapult, Haxorus, Seismitoad, and Rhyperior. And despite how serious he is about training you can see how he loves and cares for his team. His team regards you and yours curiously if not a little warily. You notice how his Charizard seems to almost hover over him in concern. 

“Let’s go,” you say calmly as you turn to head through the field as you make your way to the mountain in the distance. Glancing over your shoulder you check to make sure they are following you. His Dragapult glides up next to you to tentatively inspect you only to be met with a hiss from Lady, your Salazzle. The Dragapult merely narrows his eyes and hisses right back. There is a roar from Charizard and Dragapult answers by floating back over to his team. 

“So you have a poison type team? Why poison?” he asks as his long strides brought him in line with you. 

“They are underappreciated but dangerous. Honestly, most people shun them because they are scared or intimidated.”

“Isn’t that why you choose them? They are intimidating?” 

“Nope… Aku was my first friend and everyone was always so scared of him when we were younger even though he was the best friend I could have asked for. The other kids wouldn’t let us play with them and when he evolved into a Haunter, it only got worse.”

Leon nods, “I see…so what did you do?”

You shrugged, “I decided that I was going to train and one day I found Sahara and Tsar. They were so cute and tiny at the time.”

“Sahara and Tsar?” he asks in confusion. 

Your Nidoqueen lets out a roar before quieting and you chuckle at her antics, “Tsar is her mate, my Nidoking.”

His eyes widen, “You have one of each?”

You nod as Sahara nuzzles your shoulder. With a giggle, you swat her away and all of a sudden you aren’t the feared High Queen of an underground organization, you’re just a trainer with her team. Leon shakes his head trying to get that image out of his mind. He can’t forget who you really are, but despite his musings, he can’t help but see you in a slightly different light. 

You both battle your way up the mountain and allow Leon to take the lead. He grows stronger with each battle but you can tell he’s holding back. 

“What’s the problem?” you ask as you regard him skeptically. 

“Is this really going to help?” he asks as he turns towards you his own brand of skepticism in his eyes.

“What do you mean?” you square your stance and cross your arms. 

“What makes this training any different than what I do already?”

“It’s probably not,” you answer calmly. 

“Then what’s the point?”

“Precisely. What is the point?” you ask.

He furrows his brows as he regards you, “To get stronger.”

“Nope. You’re already strong, you lack some stamina, but not much really. You’ve lost something though. What is it?”

He scoffs and his fists go to his hips, “You mean my title?”

“Something more important than your title.”

He frowns, “I don’t understand.”

“We are out here to find what you’ve lost,” you tilt your head as you regard him.

He grits his teeth, “The only thing that I’ve lost is my title and I’m not going to get it back out here.”

“Are you angry you’ve lost it?” you ask cooly.

He narrows his eyes, “What I’m feeling is none of your business.”

“So you are…” you murmur softly.

He looks away from you, avoiding your eyes.

“Did you know that Akuma chose me as his trainer? I was pretty isolated when I was kid, I didn’t have friends and my family didn’t really have time for me. It was all about the business,” you begin to pace back and forth in front of him as the memories flood your mind. “I would wander off and be gone for hours and no one would even know I was gone. There was an old cottage on the property and I would play inside and around it. One day there was a Gastly hiding in the shadows. He was scared and alone. No one wanted a creepy ghost type just like no one wanted to have anything to do with the little girl who lived in the house at the end of the road.”

“Why are you telling me this?” he asks in confusion. 

“Because that day a little unwanted Gastly followed a little unwanted girl home and they were never alone again. Akuma has been my partner since I was a child just like I’m sure that Charizard has been there for you. Right now you need to find what you’ve lost and only you know what that is.”

“I told you! I lost my title.”

“Your title isn’t who you are. Try again.”

“Fine! If you’re so smart let’s battle!”

“You won’t win,” you say calmly.

“You don’t know that.”

“I do,” you say simply before you turn and walk away. “You aren’t ready to battle me.”

The ride back to your home is silent as Leon fumes beside you. You roll your eyes before you go into your house and come out with an egg. 

“What’s this?” Leon asks as you hand it to him. 

“It’s an egg and your new means of training,” you say calmly, leaning against the car that Leon has yet to get out of. 

“You want me to raise an egg as training?” he asks incredulously. 

“Yes, you will know soon enough,” you murmur cryptically as you get back into the driver’s seat to take him home. 

“I don’t get it…” he murmurs gazing down at the egg in his lap. 

“You have lost something, Leon, and that egg will help you find it.”

“How?” he snaps, annoyed with you.

“If I simply tell you the lesson you will learn nothing.”

He glares over at you but keeps silent the rest of the way.

“Oh, by the way…” you say as he’s about to get out of the car, “You should pack tonight.”

“Why?”

“We’re going on a bit of an adventure.”

Leon blinks at you in confusion, “Absolutely not.”

He gets out of the car and gathers his things before shutting the door. .

You roll down the window to continue your conversation, slight annoyance in your voice at his behavior, “Be packed tomorrow morning, or be unprepared because we’re going.”

“Where are we going?!” he yells through the window as you roll it up.

“You’ll see,” you say with a Cheshire grin.

The next morning dawns and with a frustrated growl you bang on Leon’s door. You know he keeps denying your calls and quite frankly you are not having it. Walking up to the door you simply pick the lock on the door and walk right in. 

“You would think the Ex-Champion would have a better security system…” you murmur to yourself right as Charizard rounds the corner looking as fierce as ever. The moment he sees it’s just you, his fire dies and looks more tired than anything. Vaguely you wonder how worried he is for his trainer. 

“He’s not ready is he?” you ask the large fire lizard.

He just shakes his head before leading you into the next room. You see a lump under the covers of a king sized bed with long purple hair flowing out of the top. You can’t help but think it looks a bit lonely. Such a large bed, but so empty. 

“Come on, Leon,” you say in annoyance, “we have a plane to catch,”

He rolls over and blinks in annoyance at you, “I’m not getting on a plane with you.”

You roll your eyes, “And why not?”

“Because I don’t trust you. You run an underground ring of illegal Pokemon dealing.”

“Do you know who I sell those illegal Pokemon to? Your friends. I’ve made more deliveries to the people in this very apartment complex than you care to know about. The elite of Galar want what they want.”

“I don’t believe you…” he practically pouts, but you can tell that he knows. 

“Listen Big Boy… You can either accept that you have made this choice, or deny it. I don’t care either way. What I do care about is my team and my reputation. You have put yourself as well as my team in danger and I expect you to do the big boy thing and deal with it. Now get up, we’re going to Kalos.”

You turn and head out the door before you hear his questions. You glance over your shoulder as a singular ‘why’ floats from the room. 

“Because you need to see more of the world.”

“I’ve seen the world!” he pouts as he stumbles out of his bedroom and into the living area. You head towards his kitchen and start rummaging through his cabinets.

“What are you doing?” he asks mildly offended that you are just looking through his things, even if it is just his kitchen. 

“Coffee, I would assume you would like some before we head out, perhaps breakfast as well.”

He looks less offended at your answer, probably because you were going to feed him, and directs you to his coffee and the green protein infused smoothie he usually drinks for breakfast. 

“So much kale…” you murmur as you stuff hand-fulls into the blender and roll your eyes at the noise the high powered contraception makes.

Leon emerges with his bag packed looking far more put together than he did an hour ago. 

“You never answered my question about why we are going to Kalos.”

“I have business and you have training,” you say putting your sunglasses on and heading towards your car. He follows along reluctantly before he throws his duffle bag into your back seat, his team strapped securely to his belt. 

***

The tower in Lumiose city reaches up to the sky and for the first time you watch Leon forget about being a Champion or not being a Champion. He’s just being Leon. 

“You’re welcome to wander the city and explore while I get some work done. Do you want to grab dinner when I’m finished?”

“You don’t want me to go with you?”

“No, you don’t want to go with me,” you say with a smirk, “Just enjoy the day, we’ve got some training to do tomorrow.”

“What training is that?” he asks absentmindedly as he regards the shops and restaurants around him. 

“I’m taking you to a battle mansion, you’ll love it.”

“Really?” he asks, whipping his head around to face you, excitement in his eyes. You just nod with a smirk on your face as you leave him to his devices. 

Walking down the streets of Lumiose city, you come to a cafe where you are to meet your contact. Negotiations are underway to set up a group in Kalos. Certain pokemon were in high demand that are native to this region. You order a coffee and sit down at one of the tables. A few moments later a man sits down across from you, his own beverage in his hand. 

“(Y/N), I presume?” he speaks lowly a confident smirk on his lips. You narrow your eyes.

“Indeed.”

“Follow me, the boss is waiting for you.”

You nod before you get up and follow him into the back room where a man with blonde hair and striking green eyes awaits you. He’s wearing a silvery gray suit with a deep green dress shirt, the buttons around the collar unbuttoned and displaying a toned chest. Just enough to tease you. 

“Jean, I presume?” you ask your hand gripping Aku’s Pokeball in case you need him.

“No need to be so tense! Have a seat, I love lunches with beautiful women,” he says with a smirk and flirtatious wink. 

You don’t relax as you take a seat across from him and cock your head to one side, “you say that like you don’t have them often.”

“Often enough, but none quite as exquisite as you,” he purrs, offering you a bit of the food that was prepared beforehand. You know better than to eat what is before you though. 

You smile sweetly before you fix him with a look, “Down to business.”

“I was hoping for a chance to get to know you.”

“There will be plenty of time for that after I’ve heard your proposal,” your tone is light and airy, amicable, but you know how the game works. 

The male before you narrows his eyes minutely before he smirks, “Of course, business before pleasure, a lady after my own heart. I propose we open trade routes specifically for Litleos and Flabebe. My team will gather them in exchange for Dreepy and Applin.”

You cock your head to the side, “I don’t believe that’s a fair trade, Dreepy and Applin are significantly harder to find, especially Dreepy whereas both Litleo and Flabebe are almost common.”

“The heart wants what the heart wants and the hearts of Kalos want Applin and Dreepy,” he says with a shrug, as if it is entirely out of his hands.

“It sounds to me as if I would be getting the short end of the stick, Applin and Rookidee are moreso on par with your request.”

“And of Dreepy?”

“If you want Dreepys you will need to give me something better than Flabebe. I am already able to source them Alola.”

He scowls before his tone lightens, “What about Mega Evolutions?”

“What about them?” you ask flatly, acting far more bored than you actually are. 

“You can Mega Evolve your Pokemon anytime and anywhere, there are no restrictions unlike your region’s Dynamax….”

“Go on…”

“With my help you could be uncontested.”

“Are you saying you will outfit me and my team with Mega evolution equipement?”

“Your partner is a Gengar correct? Think of the power he could have…” You do consider it. You’ve heard of the power that Pokemon that have the ability to mega evolve have. Such power...

“How many Dreepy do you want for this power?”

“One hundred,” he says without flinching. 

“I will consider your proposition and get back to you within the week. I need to take it to my associates.”

“Of course!”

“I will be off then,” you say as you move to get up.

“What of your lunch?” he asks good naturedly. 

“I have someone waiting for me so I really must be off.”

“Well he is very lucky then…”

You regard the man in front of you for a moment, vaguely wondering his intentions. With a single line he has made you suspicious. 

“Indeed,” you say with a saccharine smile.

Leaving the cafe you can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong and when you are cornered in an alleyway by the lackeys of the very man you had just spoken with you aren’t surprised. There are five of them each with their pokemon at the ready to take you on. You regard the lackeys with boredom rather than fear. As if you haven’t been ambushed before, such amateurs. 

“It’s nothing personal,” comes a voice from the rooftop, “your associates are merely more cooperative.” 

Glancing up you see Jean standing there gazing down at you with a wicked smirk.

“Oh? You’ve spoken to my associates?”

“Our agreement was as many Dreepy as I would like if I could get rid of their boss. I fully expected you to be dead by now my dear.”

You roll your eyes and with a flash, Akuma is standing by your side looking all the more menacing as he regards his opponents. 

“You know what to do,” you say without even blinking. 

Akuma giggles before he seemingly vanishes into thin air, the sound of yelps and cries of pain assault your ears as Akuma in a single blow takes out his opponents.

“I didn’t become who I am by being easy to kill, you’ll have to do better.”

“How is this for better?” he unleashes a Houndoom and with a glow of the jewel around his neck he mega evolves. 

You curse under your breath as you regard the fiery dog before you. 

“Akuma! Destiny Bond!” Akuma nods before he glows a deep purple. 

“Crunch!” 

Houndoom rushes forward landing a solid hit on Akuma who just grins and bears the pain. You grit your teeth as the Houndoom effortlessly throws Akuma away. He hits the wall before he falls to the ground. He weakly stands up before hypnotizing the Pokemon before him. Houndoom shakes his head trying to rid himself of the drowsiness, but fails and falls into a deep sleep. 

“Nightmare then Hex,” you say glaring up at Jean. 

He smirks at you as Akuma unleashes the attacks unto the dark type pokemon. It doesn’t do much damage but the moment that Houndoom wakes up you know it’s over. He unleashes one more attack that sends Akuma to the ground and due to the bond forged between the two of them, Houndoom falls as well. 

“Very good…” purrs Jean, “You do live up to your reputation. Let’s see how well you do with my Garchomp.”

Garchomp roars as he lands before you, you pull your Dragalge, Silette, and ready her for battle. 

“Do you think your little barnacle can defeat me?”

“You made a mistake siding against me,” you say calmly, ”I’m going to show you how.”

The battle is over before it’s even really begun and you know for a fact that Jean relies entirely on Mega Evolution. Once his mega evolved Pokemon has been defeated the rest of his team crumble like cake. You climb the stairs on the fire escape to reach the top of the building where Jean is standing, still shocked at what just happened. You hold out your hand and he glares at you in defiance. 

“I want the band.”

“How dare you-”

A deep growl from Moxy, your Salazzle, has him handing over the band and you look at it curiously before you tuck it away. 

“Who are you working with? Who wanted me dead?” you more so in annoyance than fear. 

He smirks before he shrugs carelessly, “They called themselves Diamond and Clubs, they intended to pay me handsomely to take you out when they found out that you were coming for a meeting in Kalos with me.”

“I’m keeping the band as your payment for losing to me. I will give you fifty Dreepy each for Gengarite, Beedrillite and Venusaurite.”

“Your allies have turned against you, how do I know you can hold up your end of the bargain?”

“I have two hundred Dreepy waiting to be moved as we speak. I am the only one with access to the system housing them and my personal team is loyal. Whatever they hoped to pay you, I can pay more.”

“They said you were lethal, I didn’t think you would be this ruthless as well…”

“If I wasn’t dangerous, they wouldn't be trying to kill me…”

“Touché,” he says with a smirk, “I need an hour then we meet at the tower for the exchange.”

“Perfect.”

Once you are alone in a small department store you quickly head to the changing room and change your clothes and shoes. You heal your pokemon in preparation for what is to come and quickly make your way to where you are to meet Leon. 

You see his long purple hair and head towards him, grabbing his arm you pull him along beside you, “Change of plan.”

“What?!”

“Clubs and Diamond are trying to kill me so we have a short amount of time to gather supplies and get to a safe house.”

“Kill you!?” he exclaims. 

“Keep your voice down! I have an exchange to make, then we get out of here.”

“How are you so calm?!” 

“Panicking will do nothing. We have to get to safety, they know about you so we need to stick together and get somewhere safe. I just need you to trust me on this.”

He looks serious as he nods at you.

At the base of the tower, Jean is leaning casually against it as you walk up to him. Leon is about a hundred feet away watching the whole exchange in fear. You hold out your hand and he places the bag in it with the Mega stones you asked for. You nod in acceptance as you hand him the code to the storage unit. He checks it before he nods at you. 

“I hope we can do business in the future,” he says, pulling you hand up to his lips for a kiss. 

“You tried to kill me…”

“Business,” he says with a shrug, “And a grave mistake obviously…” 

“Obviously,” your voice gives nothing away as you gaze at him coldly.   
He merely smiles pleasantly at you before you turn on your heel and walk away. A shout from Leon has you casually snapping your fingers. Hemlock, your Vileplume which was happily hiding amongst the flowers unleashes a stun spore into the air as you casually put on a gas mask. Several people, including Jean fall to the ground paralyzed. 

“Thanks for the Mega Stones, your treachery will not be forgotten.”

You hear a wait leave his lips as you just roll your eyes, “In fact,” you say as you casually walk up to him ignoring the screams of the people around you, “I’ll take these.” You flip him over and pull another mega band from his wrist and upon further inspection pull a bag of mega stones out, “for payment.”

His eyes widen as you show him what you have taken before you quickly pull out a Pokeball and release a Weezing. 

“Smokescreen,” you say as you step into the fog. 

The entirety of the park has been thrown into chaos and if it wasn’t for the Pokemon dealers being arrested for theft then you would have had more problems to deal with. 

“What happened?!” Leon asks as he dutifully looks away as you change from the clothes you had been wearing before you hand them Moxy so she can burn them. They are ashes in the wind in a moment. You put on a charming sundress and glasses as well as a bright blonde wig. Leon stops when he turns to look at you in the cheery yellow dress as you smirk at him. 

“Close your mouth, Leon, you’ll attract Cutiefly,” you tilt your head to the side, “Unless that’s your intention?”

He glares half heartedly at you before he crosses his arms with a huff.

“Oh stop will you? Everything is fine!”

“He had a gun, he tried to kill you.”

You fix him with a steady look, “I knew what his intentions were the entire time, but we needed these,” you say holding up the bag of mega stones. 

“What are they?” he asks, taking the bag from you. 

“Mega stones, there is one for Charizard and Garchomp.”

“Huh? I don’t want these! They are stolen!”

You tilt your head, “You’re going to need them for protection and we need to get out of Kalos as fast as possible.”

He clenches his teeth as he thinks over the situation, the stress clear on his handsome face, “fine…” he concedes finally. 

You hand him the band and dig out the stones before you hand them to him. 

“You better buckle up Ace, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this! It turned out much longer than expected but I doubt anyone's complaining! Please drop some love and tell me your thoughts! A thank you to my Betas Pluto and Serene!

**Author's Note:**

> This is something a little different, but I hope you all enjoyed it! Please let a comment to tell me your thoughts!


End file.
